Fuel gauges (part 2)

BX Tech talk
jrdpod
BXpert
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:46 pm
Location: Colchester
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Fuel gauges (part 2)

Post by jrdpod »

Recently, my Meteor ran out of petrol, because I thought it still had enough, because the needle was sitting just below the red line on the left of the gauge, but above the red "oblong", to the extreme left, which I thought stood for "reserve".

Fortunately, I was able to coast into a layby, just around the corner from a Tesco filling station.

Unfortunately, I had no petrol can on me, and couldn't find any for sale at the station or in the store.

However, I had a can in my lockup; only 45 minutes walk from where I was stranded. My house was 35 minutes walk by the way, in between Tescos and my lockup.

So anyway, went for a brisk stroll, popped home for a cuppa (and get my lockup keys), and then over to retrieve the can (and filler nozzle of course). Retraced my steps, bought a fiver of unleaded, and refreshed my thirsty Citroen. 6 cranks on the engine, and she fired back to life.

In my previous posting on this topic, I was advised that BX fuel gauges can be "notoriously innaccurate". So maybe this one did misread, or the "reserve symbol" on the gauge, dosen't really mean anything.

While on the subject, the orange "fuel low" light has stopped working.

Otherwise, car's going fine.

Regards
John Podgorski/jrdpod.
John R D Podgorski
jeremy
Over 2k
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:58 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Post by jeremy »

Had the yellow warning light started to flash or come on?

Easy way without a gauge is to brim the tank (which means you have 12 gallons unless its a 14, GTi, 16valve or TD). Set the trip recorder and drive for about 200 miles. Fill up again and see how much fuel you have used and then calculate your MPG. Then run on the top half of the tank - ie set the mileometer and fill up when you have used 6 gallons (or more if your nerve is good)

I always used to do this with my Renault 21 as I couldn't be bothered to fix the gauge - so a working one on the BX is a luxury!
Brian
BXpert
Posts: 441
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:53 pm
Location: Bedfordshire UK

Post by Brian »

If you are up to it, follow the details here:

http://bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7333

If you do, you may find that some of the printed circuit at the bottom of the board has eroded away, but worth a go..